Pt2020.txt
Subject: A pilot works to clear his distant vision.
This section discusses the details and experience of a pilot
as he works to clear his distant vision to 20/20.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Chet
Thor is a pilot who worked very hard with the plus lens and cleared
his distant vision to meet the 20/20 (JAA 1.0) standard.
A pilot working on clearing his distant vision will have
many "concerns" with the process. This is rather long, but
I think that Mr. Thor has identified most of them and
recognized that the "trade off" of the plus lens (with
all the difficulties) is a better solution, rather than
use the minus lens. Perhaps other pilots can learn
from the "struggle" that is involved in prevention.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Your Name : Chet Thor
Your Age and Vision : 20/40, -0.5 Diopter
Comment: Hi! Yes I will sign your guest-book. I am currently
not so familiar with the 20/20, 20/40 method of telling
vision. I am more familiar with the European way where
1.0 is perfect vision and 0.0 is no vision sharpness.
Can I convert between them?
Your Name : Otis Brown
Subject : The Snellen Chart
Comment: The basis of the chart is the assumption that we should
see two points of light separated by 1' of angle. This
analysis was translated in to the ability to see
letters that subtend 5 minutes of arc. It is then
essentially simple to create a chart. At 6.1 meters,
use 0.88 cm letters for 20/20. Double the number for
20/40, and double again for 20/80. Best, Otis
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Plus Lens Use
Comment: My opinion on using plus glasses. Well, I think it
will work because I've seen results. But I'm afraid
that when I'm using it and then stops for a while when
for example driving that the eyes will go back then.
Will they?
Your Name : Otis Brown
Subject : Response to Plus Lens
Comment: The answer is partially, "what you see is what you
get". If you are very aggressive with the plus lens,
you will see clearing. If you stop, then the eyes will
"come back" slightly -- but not to the previous level.
Your Name : Otis Brown
Subject : Sustained Effort
Comment: Chet, You could do one thing for me. Keep me
posted as to your thoughts and efforts -- the good and
the bad. Some people will not properly understand the
relatively intensive effort it takes and will stop after
a week or so. While I understand this attitude, success
depends on long-term systematic effort. At 20/40 or
better the probability of success is good. Reading the
eye chart: The requirement for "passing" a line on the
chart is that you read 4 out of 5 characters on that
line. So make that your standard. The process of
clearing your vision from the -1/2 dioper is slow. You
will hit plateaus where you stay at 20/30 or so. Be
patient and keep up the effort.
Your Name : Chet
Subject: Clearing Vision
Comment: I am concerned that my eyes will develop a positive
focal state (sometimes called "farsightedness"). Is this
part of the recovery process? I continue to use the
plus lens most of the time.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Clearing Distant Vision
Comment: The term "farsightedness" is an out-growth of a bad
theory. Eyes with 20/20 have focal states that run
between +0.25 to +1.5 diopters. Clearing you distant
vision is a process of changing your focal state from
-0.5 diopter to +0.5 diopters. Monkeys who live in an
"open" environment have focal states of +0.75 diopters.
There eyes are not "defective", so the term
"farsightedness" should not be used. It produces
inaccurate understanding of both the problem and
solution.
Your Name : Keith Benson
Subject : Clearing Vision with Plus Lens
Comment: And I still have success with the plus lens. It's nice
to know at this point in my life that I have some
control over something. If I do 10 minutes of exercises
almost every day I don't have a stiff back and neck from
carrying, caring for, dragging kids around. If I read
with the plus lens about 30 minutes per night when my
vision is more blurry -- I regain clear vision quite
quickly. It's nice to have the feeling that poor vision
is an annoyance rather than a permanent condition.
[Keith used a plus through high school and college and
kept his distant vision clear by systematic use of a
strong plus lens for all close-work. OSB]
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Astigmatism Standards
Comment: Thanks for your letters. It helps me a lot. So I
can't get more astigmatism from a plus lens? That's the
thing that would calm me down. Because our flight rules
doesn't want us to have more than 2.00 diopters of
astigmatism. I have only 0.25 and 0.75. So I hope they
will stay at those values.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : With-the-Rule Astigmatism
Comment: From all that I know about the development of
nearsightedness, it is stated that nearsightedness and
astigmatism develop together... Again, from my
judgment, you clear your distant vision to 20/20, and
"normal astigmatism" ie, with-the-rule, will not be a
problem.
Your Name : Chet r Subject : Progress
Comment: Well, this weekend I tried a stronger plus lens at home
for computer work and reading for about 30 minutes. And
wow I saw a lot more improvement that still hags on more
so than before. So I think I need to get a stronger
plus lens and use it more often.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Astigmatism
Comment: The thing about astigmatism, I think it will go away
when my nearsightedness go away. Because it developed
when I got the nearsightedness.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : FAA-JAA Rules
Comment: Now I know. Your rules are from FAA. My rules are
European from the JAA. (Joint Aviation Authorities).
Maybe they have different rules. Or it might be that
there are no limits for astigmatism but the school that
I am trying to get in have own rules for it? Anyway I'm
way below the limits for it and hope it will stay there.
Your Name : Dr. Steve Leung
Subject : Astigmatism - Normal Range
Comment: Don't worry about your astigmatism! You must keep on
with the plus lens to regain your farsightedness instead
of any amount of myopia. . Since you are of the power
-0.50 and -0.75, I'm confident you can eventually pass
the vision test
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Current Focal State
Comment: I did check my focal state on our eye chart yesterday.
And yesterday, I could see with each eye the 0.7 line.
I tried it on our eye chart system. But it was very
sunny day yesterday so the light helped a lot. How much
light are you supposed to have when testing?
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Depth-of-Field Effects
Comment: Sharpness of vision is affected by the aperture of the
iris. You will get best vision in daylight. Please use
the standard room-lighting to check the 1.7 cm and .88
cm letters Use this standard systematically. You will
see day-to-day variation. What you are looking for is
gradual improvement over the next four months.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Vision - Both Eyes
Comment: You asked about my vision with both my eyes. Well, it
is almost 20/20 I can see about 50% of the letters.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Start Date of April 20 2002
Comment: I believe that you started using the plus lens on April
20. As I stated, it takes 4 years to get to -1/2
diopter. I am pleased you are close to 20/20. But
please plan for 4 months of effort on prevention.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Vision response for next 3 Months
Comment: Please review Figure 5 in Chapter 7, "Mathematical",
specifically the Helmholtz-dynamic "F" curve. The
figure presents the manner in which your eyes will
respond to the proper use of a plus lens -- if you
continue your effort with the lens.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Keith's success with a Plus Lens
Comment: Keith, I am pleased that you have maintained clear
distant vision for the past 20 years with a plus lens.
It takes skill and determination clear your distant
vision to normal with a preventive lens -- when you must
do this work under your own control.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Gradual Progress
Comment: I've noticed one thing that is that during these days I
haven't been able to use the plus lens as much as
ordinary days. Then I see that the eyes are going back
a little. But when I then use a plus lens again I can
see that the effect back to good vision again works
faster back to my position where I was. I hope you
understand me.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Gradual Improvement
Comment: Yes, I think it will take some time, but I fell happy
every time I see some improvement. I found that when
I'm at home putting on a strong plus lens and reading
some text in a new paper for example. Then when I can
read it at a distance I go more back and tries to read.
After a while I can read it from that distance. Then I
go back even more. That method seems to help the eyes a
lot.
Your Name : Rex
Subject : My Successful Use of a Plus Lens
Comment: I've been using the plus lens system for a few years
now, and have been slowly improving my nearsighted
condition. I had to take a DMV eye test the other day
and to my surprise I scored 20/35 in the left eye and
20/25 in the right - not bad for someone who had 20/200
in both eyes a couple of years ago. [Rex discovered the
"Plus lens" concept by reading a book by the pilot Brian
Severson. He worked very hard to achieve his success
with the plus lens.]
Your Name : Chet
Subject : 20/20 Vision, Focal State Zero
Comment: 20/20 on both eyes? According to the flight school
here I need 20/20 on each eye separately. But the flight
school I'm trying to get into are having some higher
requests than JAA requirements. But I think I already
some days have 20/20 vision with both eyes according to
my eye chart. But not with each eye separately.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : 4 Months to 20/20 with Buffer
Comment: Yes, getting to consistent 20/20 is slow work. Since
there is a normal difference between the two eyes of 1/2
to 3/4 diopters, it will be necessary to develop a
positive focal state for both eyes. Please begin
checking your eyes by looking through a +1.0 diopter
lens, and tell me what you read.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Normal Variation in Focal Status
Comment: Chet -- please check Chapter 10, Table 1, in my book for
differences in focal state between the two eyes. Figure
4 also shows normal expected changes in the focal status
of the eye. This is normal for a control-system with one
percent tracking accuracy.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Clearing Distant Vision - New Technique
Comment: Thanks for your explanation. I just got so excited
because I could see some positive effects almost
instantly. The binocular gives help very fast it seems.
I got a little headache but it is the price to pay for
clearing my vision. Today I also see a lot effect still
remaining from the binocular. I think I will go out an
use it more.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Much Improvement
Comment: The last days here I have seen more improvement than
ever before. Can it be due to I have used the plus lens
for a long time and now it starts to help more than
before? In the morning it have always before been
seeing double because of myopia when looking far away on
thin objects. But the last mornings it was gone. I can
still see some of it but it is much more better. It
is more lighter with sunny days that also help.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : More Improvement
Comment: One thing that I think is the tool for this that is
that I have been reading a lot of PPL theory. Sitting
outside and reading with the plus lenses. And combined
with using the binocular just for fun looking around. I
think that is a winning solution. It seems to work very
good for me. And I hope the results I'm seeing will
help me even more in the progress.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Re: More Improvement
Comment: Chet, I am very pleased that you are seeing
improvement. Success always breeds more success. 20/20
is VERY SHARP vision indeed. From experience, pilots
report that is much faster to go from 20/70 to 20/40,
than it is to go from 20/40 to 20/20.
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Time to get solid 20/20
Comment: Chet, you have now used the plus lens for 1.5 months.
It takes 4 years to go from very sharp 20/20 to 20/40.
So four months is still a reasonable number. Thanks for
talking with Dr. Steve Leung. He wants you to succeed
as much I do.
Your Name and Date : Chet
Subject : Close to 20/20 and holding
Comment: Well, its going fine. At the moment I can see that the
level have stopped at this level now for some days. But
I'm looking forward to see more results so I will keep
working. It seems like it is harder and harder as more
I come closer to 20/20 vision?
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Time and Effort to Reach 20/20
Comment: Thanks for your report. The hard part is to sustain
the effort, when you do not see immediate direct
results. From the information I received from other
pilots, the movement from 20/70 to 20/40 went relatively
quickly. To get the eye to go from 20/40 to 20/20 took
a good deal more time. 20/20 is very sharp vision.
There are many people who want to make
recovery/prevention seem easy. It is not easy. But it
is possible -- based on scientific judgment of
objective, repeatable, experimental data.
Your Name and Date : Chet, 6/02/02
Subject : Vision Status and Flying
Comment: Thanks for your letters they are very interesting to
read. Yesterday I was on an airship on ESOK (Karlstad,
Sweden). It was great. Was also up on a little flight
over Karlstad in a Saab 340 aircraft. It feels better
with the eyes when it is so bright and sunny these last
days. But it is then hard to tell the progress of the
eyes when it is so sunny. On a bright day I see 20/20
without glasses. Comment_3 :
Your Name and Date : Otis
Subject : Leaders Solving Problems
Comment: Chet, Glad you are back flying. With vision of 20/20,
that is great. Depth of field between daylight and room
illumination is probably about +/- 0.6 diopters to +/-
0.3 diopters. You may be 20/25 in a room -- but that
probably varies. You may also be able to read some
letters on the 20/15 line. That is generally taken into
around in judging your 20/20 status. In any event,
please keep using the strong plus lens, and pushing
print. Remember -- you are going to become a leader in
this process. Your success will encourage other pilots
to duplicate your efforts.
Your Name and Date : Otis, 6/7/02
Subject : Mission Statement
Comment: This site is designed to help pilots use the plus lens
BEFORE they require the use of a minus lens. At that
stage, prevention can be effective. The pilots who can
make very heavy use of a 2.5 diopter lens, and verify by
checking their eye chart are successful. It takes about
four months to go from 20/40 (-1/2 diopter) to 20/20
(+1/2 diopter).
Your Name and Date : Chet, 6/12/02
Subject : Vision at 20/20
Comment: Have you got any more people on the plus lens effort
due to my effort?
Your Name : Otis
Subject : Support for return to 20/20
Comment: It is nice to have some time to think about the issues
involved, and to be at 20/20. To recognize that your
motivation has paid off for your is the most important
aspect of solving the problem. The answer is basically
no. You wanted to get out of it, (to 20/20) and were
willing to work very hard on the effort. Fortunately,
you were only at -1/2 diopters, so that a reasonable
efforts could be successful. It is tragic, but most
people at the 20/50 to 20/70 will absolutely refuse the
proper use of a plus lens -- and with that rejection
will be setting themselves up for permanent
nearsightedness.
Your Name and Date : Chet
Subject : Offer to Help Other Pilots
Comment: Otis -- There are one Swedish forum for pilots and for
people becoming pilots. I could post some note there
about your web site and the method and give it some
support. Do you would like that?
Your Name and Date : Otis, 6/13/03
Subject : Helping Pilots at 20/40, -1/2 D
Comment: Yes. If the person is like you -- intelligent,
motivated and willing to look at their own eye chart --
then he stands an excellent chance of clearing his
distant vision to 20/20. The pilot should be slightly
nearsighted (i.e., 20/40) and be willing to make a 4
month commitment to doing what you have successfully
accomplished. The pilot should read your commentary
that I posted. YOU solved the problem. Dr. Steve
Leung and I assisted you with accurate technical advice
and objective scientific data.
Your Name and Date : Otis
Subject : Further Clearing of Vision
Comment: When your eyes are at -1/2 diopter you see the result
on an eye chart. While you are at 20/20 you must
continue the same work for another two months. As you
said, the eye will "slip back" slightly. To prevent
this, it is necessary to develop a +1/2 diopter focal
state. If you had a lens of that power, you would be
able to read 20/20 through that lens. Remove the +1/2
diopter, and your distant vision will be extremely
sharp. Your night-time vision will be greatly improved
with this 1/2 diopter buffer. Keep up the good work.
Your engineering understanding and analysis will pay off
for you.
Your Name : Chet
Subject : Vacation
Comment: Long time -- no see. I'm currently continuing to use the
plus lens. Soon I'm going on vacation. 4 weeks
beginning 1 July. Actually if I take in count this
holiday I start my vacation Friday afternoon. I'm going
to see Paris. Then I wouldn't check my job mail so if
you could send the letters my private email address.
Your Name and Date : Otis 6/26
Subject : Keep up the good work
Comment: Dear Chet, Great to hear you are continuing work
with the plus lens. This is what Captain Fred Deakins
(USAF) did to get out of -- and stay out of --
nearsightedness. Dr. Stirling Colgate did the same
thing. Please keep up the good work, and keep me posted
as to developments. Sincerely, Otis
Your Name and Date : Chet, 9/23/02
Subject : Vision -- 20/20
Comment: Well, it is when I look outside on something. It can
be anything I look on. Well, my vision is at about
20/20 but not in the dark still. But I will continue
the fight. I've seen improvement in the dark as well but
it takes time. When I look at something thin like a
flag pole in a little dim light then I can see a little
double flag pole but as soon as I tilt my head it is
perfectly there. But I see improvement everyday so soon
that will disappear also. Currently I'm combining
methods. One thing is that I think I'm ready to go and
buy a stronger plus lens for faster effect. Don't you
think that is a good idea.
Your Name and Date : OSB, 9/24/02
Subject : Vision at 20/20
Comment: I recommend the use of a stronger plus lens. I think
it will speed up the process of clearing your night
vision, as well as insuring permanent 20/20 vision for
the JAA test. The current FAA requirement is only for
daylight 20/20 -- to the best of my knowledge. I know
that we are about 50 years away from that first step
towards effective prevention with a plus lens. In the
mean time, you must rely on yourself to conduct the type
of preventive effort that is essential to remain
qualified for flight duty.
Your Name and Date : Chet 11/6/02
Subject : Sustaining 20/20 Vision
Comment: Well, I'm a bit concerned about that when I stop for
couple of days with the Bates exercises and the plus
lens the eyes goes back. But when doing everything it
is almost perfect. How to make it stable? Then I
wonder why is it so important to check your own vision
and to do exercises in front of an eye chart?
Your Name and Date : Otis, 11/2/02
Subject : Reply to 20/20 Vision
Comment: Just continue to use the plus lens to sustain 20/20
vision. It beats the alternative, of getting back into
it. I know that sustained use of a plus lens may seem
difficult, but I believe that it is the price we must
pay if we value our distant vision -- or if you need
20/20 for your professional career. It is important to
check your own vision so that you know exactly where you
stand. Because of your consistency, your measurements
will be very accurate -- and you can trust the results.
Your Name and Date : Dr. Leung, 11/12/02
Subject : Improving 20/20, Part 1
Comment: I guess you are almost at the stage of a zero focal
state. You could pass the standard eye chart at 20/20.
As Otis pointed out, it is wise to develop some
hyperopic reserve for your eyes. So please continue the
use of strong plus lens for near use. Once you can pass
the 20/20 line with the naked eye and can read 20/20
through a +0.50 to +1.00 diopter lens, you will have
developed a valuable protective visual buffer.
Congratulation! That means you have the "hyperopic
reserve" required for excellent vision.
Your Name and Date : Dr. Leung
Subject : Improve to 20/20 - Part 2
Comment: It is the fundamental vision for all kids at ages 4 to
6. That is why I encourage my own child to put on +1.50
for reading and writing to preserve her moderate
hyperopic reserve -- to avoid becoming nearsighted.
When you reach a moderate level of hyperopic-reserve,
you can quit the use of a plus lens. However, continue
to check you distant vision and hyperopic reserve. If
you see you are losing your hyperopic reserve, just
start using the plus lens for prolonged near work
-- "pushing print" as required.
Your Name and Date : Otis Brown, 11/02
Subject : Vision from 20/40 to 20/20
Comment: Over the past several months Dr. Steve Leung and I
have assisted Chet Thor in his work to clear his vision
from 20/40 to 20/20. Chet has been successful in this
effort. Dr. Stirling Colgate achieved the same result
as discussed on this site. Chet's results simply
confirm Dr. Colgate's statements about effective
prevention. If you need to pass the FAA exam, then
achieving 20/20 is possible.
Your Name and Date : Chet, 11/5/02
Subject : Night Vision 100%
Comment: Currently my wish is to continue using the plus lens
and use it hard because today I've seen wonderful
improvements. I know it is not recommended that you wear
the plus lens on all the time -- But that was what I did
this morning. When I was looking out with the plus lens
at another distance than on my computer. When I got to
work my night vision was almost 100%. So I was really
am happy. And there were no ghosting either.
Your Name and Date : Chet, 11/14/02
Subject : 20/20 and Ghosting
Comment: In checking my distant vision I see some ghosting. I
see this at dusk, and when I verify my vision to be
20/20. Have other pilots reported this type of anomaly?
Your Name and Date : Otis, 11/15
Subject : 20/20 and Ghosting
Comment: Chet -- No, you are the first pilot to report this slight
shadowing of images. There are several reasons for
this.
1. After your distant vision cleared you began to notice ghosting
that was always there.
2. As the eye changes its focal state by 0.8 percent, the slight
re-adjustment takes time to settle out.
3. Now that you understand what it takes to sustain clear distant
vision for flying, I doubt that you will allow yourself to
get into nearsightedness again.
4. I regard the plus lens to be a requirement for flying. If you
must keep physically fit (weight lifting etc.) then why
should we object to keep our eyes physically fit by
systematic use of a plus lens -- if that is the price we
must pay to keep our distant vision.
5. All natural (primate) eyes set their focal status to their
visual environment. The development of a negative focal
state is completely reasonable and logical -- and
directly confirmed in the experimental data. Why should
we argue about that basic fact?
Your Name and Date : Chet, 11/16/02
Subject : More details on ghosting
Comment: That is that the ghosting disapears almost completely
after normal use of plus lens and then doing Bates chart
work. By blinking at each letters corner at different
distances the ghosting is reduced. The exercise if
done 5-10 minutes will take the ghosting away and keep
it away for about 1-2 hours.
Your Name and Date : Chet, 11/27
Subject : Variation in plus lens use
Comment: I've been without plus lens now for 3 days and when
sitting at work at the moment I can see how easy the
myopia blur is getting back when I sit in front of the
computer. Vision clears instantly and I can see good
again when taking them of. It is especially fast when
sitting in front of the job computer when it goes back.
But I could see after 3 days that the ghosting have been
reduced a lot. So it is reducing when taking the plus
lens off.
Your Name and Date : Otis 11/28
Subject : Vision clearing, Part 3
Comment: The process of clearing our distant vision, relies on
the fact that our eyes adapt to their near environment.
While slow to take effect, our eyes will adapt to a
distant environment (by clearing) if we completely end our
near environment. When you recognize this basic truth,
then you can do what you have done -- to keep your distant
vision for life.
Your Name and Date : Chet, 12/7/02
Subject : Why not just do it?
Comment: I clearly see that the plus lens help and I'm very happy
with it. I don't know really what happens in the eyes that
helps me but I can surely see that it helps. So why do so
many people argue about effective prevention? Or refuse
to even make an attempt at recovery from 20/40? Of course
they can argue in the beginning because it is a new
wonderful thing. But eventually they should make a
decision.
Your Name and Date : Chet
Subject : Scientific verification of prevention
Comment: Are not scientists supposed to be completely neutral on
all new preventive methods and just research and see if
prevention (and recovery) works or not? Well, why don't
they do that and see that it works. / Chet
Your Name and Date : Otis, 12/8/02
Subject : Effective clearing with a pus lens
Comment: Chet -- There is no universal opinion about
prevention either in science or medicine. Dr. Colgate
cleared his own vision with a plus lens and hoped that
others would follow his lead. You have done what Fred
Deakins (Pilot), Dr. Stirling Colgate and others have
done -- cleared your distant vision with a plus lens. Too
many people want someone else to do this for them. The
fundamental truth is that we must do this preventive work
(with a plus lens) by our own efforts.